Paul W.

It all began with a vacuum cleaner, a Ulysses Super-Suction, Multi-Terrain 2000X to be exact, that raced out of control across the neighbor’s lawn and sucked up an unsuspecting squirrel. Ten-year-old Flora Belle Buckman (super hero comic book aficionado and self-described cynic) who was watching from her bedroom window could only utter “Holy bagumba” Read More..

Summer is here, and the kids are out of school. For many families, this means only one thing: ROAD TRIP! Whether it’s a visit to the grandparents, a family reunion, or a little R&R at a state or national park, the combination of long hours and the cramped space of the car can often produce a result that is less than relaxing. Read More..

There is never anything to do in Fayette, South Carolina and Popeye is bored. It may be summer, but still, there’s nothing to do. It’s been raining all day, every day, for more than a week, and he and his big dog, Boo, have been stuck inside. Nothing to do but lie in bed and watch the water stain on the ceiling grow. Or watch his Grandma Velma play crossword puzzles, Read More..

Between 1910 and 1940 generations of Asian immigrants, mostly Chinese, were detained at Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay. After weeks, or even months of detention, those who passed the interrogation and examination were allowed to continue on to San Francisco and the country that many Chinese knew as Gold Mountain. The less fortunate were sent back home, Read More..

An artist looking for peace and quiet finds just the opposite in a rural community overrun by leprechaun hunters. A modern-day boy becomes an exterminator extraordinaire in prehistoric Sweden. And a lonely worker finds his heart’s desire in the dizzying heights of a state-run factory. This is just a sampling of the well-crafted and refreshingly low-key stories of magic Read More..

Sam has been having strange dreams and memories lately – an icy river, jagged rocks, a distant castle shrouded in mist, and the number eleven. What does it all mean? For as long as he can remember, he has had a fear of the number eleven. But tomorrow is Sam’s eleventh birthday, and nothing is going to stop him from sneaking into the attic for a preview of his gifts. Read More..

Stuart Horten is ten years old and short for his age. That would be okay if people didn’t keep reminding him of it – like patting him on the head as if he were a small pet, or combining his first initial and his last name to create the nickname “Shorten.” But Stuart had friends, a bike, and a tree house – all in all, life was pretty good and he was looking forward to summer vacation. But Read More..

Philip aspires to be a track star, but can’t even try out for the team because of a failing grade in English Literature class. Convinced that his problems are the sole fault of his English teacher, Miss Narwin, he hatches a scheme that not only fails to have the desired effect, but will eventually involve his parents, the school administration, local politicians, and the media Read More..

You may have noticed the two, small, blue portable file boxes on the floor near the desk in the Children’s area. In one you will find current and past winners of the Newbery, Caldecott, and William Allen White awards – to name just a few. Other awards are more specific: the Scott O’Dell Award is for historical fiction, the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award is for books for Read More..

When I was in grade school I would faithfully watch the Mr. Wizard television show every week. I would gaze in amazement as he mixed beakers of liquid and they miraculously changed colors, or poured substances into a paper cone that would bubble, foam, and then harden into a solid Styrofoam shape. During that time period my father would often return from trade shows and tell Read More..